Avatar the last airbender, escape from the spirit world
by N.a.brun
Summary: A MUST READ! this picks up right after the series ends. Koh escapes the spirit world on the winter solstice and comes to take revenge on aang! Read to find out what happens when koh finds out he cannot steal aang's face. also keep checking im trying to write a chapter every day. please, please, please, review! UP FOR ADOPTION!
1. zuko's mother

silence greeted his question. "where is my mother!" firelord zuko asked again. Ozai grunted. "how am i supposed to know? it's been years." a lone rat scuffled across the cell floor. For a moment father and son just stared at each other until zuko broke the silence by snapping his fingers. a guard leaned in through the door. "yes firelord zuko?" he asked. "stay here in case my father needs some encouragement." ozai narrowed his eyes. "fine, last i knew of her she was living in a town a little ways away from serpents pass." zuko took a quick intake of breath. " thank you guard that will be all." he said in a unatually high voice. after the guard had left zuko glared at his father before standing up. He took one last look at the once great firelord ozai, before muttering "monster." and slamming the door behind him.

zuko's head was spinning; his thoughts all jumbled up. but one kept repeating itself in his mind, he knew where his mother was and he was going to find her. Before he knew where his feet were taking him he was standing in the courtyard of the house where his three friends lived with the avatar; his best friend. Zuko heasitated before knocking. Could aang really help him? He awnserd his question a heart beat later. if anyone could help him it was aang. zuko knocked three quick times and the door creaked open. what had happened?

The houses interior was in shambles. a wall on the right side was crumbling in. all the furnitire was broken and scatterd all over the ruble, and in the middle of the room his clothes in shreds, cuts and bruises all over his body was aang. Aang was slumped over a peticularlly large rock. His eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell very slowly. however zuko saw as he knelt beside aang that his tattao's were glowing like they did when ever he was in the avatar state. zuko searched the house but there was no sign of gataria, saka, touph, or even momo. Zuko returned to aang his mother and her location fogotten. Aang had stirred and he opened his eyes when zuko sat down beside him. zuko noticed how they struggled to focuse on him. aang made a sudden move to get up and let out a gasp of pain, so zuko pushed him back down again. " aang what happend here?" zuko's voice cracked with the effort of restraining aang who seemed to be frantic. He gasped for air clearly trying to stay awake " A-attack... b-bending go-ne... couldn't s-save them..." he trailed off his eyes rolled back in his head and he lay'd still again.


	2. what could have done this to him?

Zuko took aang back to the royal palace. After he had deposited aang in the infirmiry he had contacted hacota, gataria's and saka's father. He had arrivied some hours later. Hacota had kept amazingly calm zuko noted. he himself was not getting any rest. every spare moment he spent at aangs bedside. Aang had gotten steadily worse, he had devoloped an awful fever and he thrashed around every so often breaking out in cold sweat. most alarming of all was that the glowing refused to go away. It all made zuko wonder what could have done this to him.

"I'm here! I'm here!" a frantic cry came from the open doors. Suki and the rest of the kioshi warriors had apperd. Suki ran over to the bed aang occupied. "I've just heard about the disapperences." she added tear tracks running down her face. She sank into one of the many chairs surrounding the bed. Suki gazed at aang for a moment then asked, " what's exactly wrong with him?" the healer standing behind zuko's head tsked sadly. "He isn't externally injured it must all be internally," she said quietly "i've never really seen anything quite like it." everyone sat in silence after that watching aang toss and turn in his bed.

Visitors came none stop after that. First bato of the water tribe, and then zuko's uncle stopped by, then mei (she and zuko disapperd together in a broom closet for nearly fifteen minutes) and even king bumi cme by for once without a smile on his face. Now as late afternoon dawnedfirelord zuko was once again alone with aang. it had been a month since aang had deafted firelord ozai and now trouble had arose once again. Poor aang, zuko thought. He's kind of like a trouble magnet. Snow started to fall outside the window making light shadows pass across the beds that lined the infirmiry. zuko watched it his mind drifting to his missing friends. Gataria had started going out with aang. zuko rememberd suddenly. This must be really hard on aang even if he's not awake. Saka had gone with hacota on a trip to the southren water tribe for a few days and had just returned when he had been taken. touph has had multipule visits from her parents who had seen how happy she was and had bought a house a few miles away, and momo had just been momo. zuko grinned in spite of himself at the memory of momo stuffing his face with what he thought had been food and what had really been jackel rabbit pellets. Everyone had laughed as saka had volunteered to personally wash his mouth having done the same thing before. Aang stirred brining zuko out of his thoughts. Aang's tattao's glowed brighter for a moment and he tossed and turned more violently. "aang?-" "noooo,no,NO!" aang sat bolt upright and his eyes flew open. He looked around confused as zuko stood up pushing back his chair. Aang jumpedout of bed then hunched over clutching his side. "whoa there aang, your hurt." zuko said gesguring to the bed, but aang looked around again and grabbed his staff. "I have to save them." he mutterd limping towards the open balcony doors. However zuko side stepped in front of him. "Your not going anywhere aang! you are seriously hurt."aang looked straight at him his eyes full of pain. "i need to save them it's my fault! please let me go." He pleaded still clutching his side. " first of all you need to tell me what happend and second your not gonig alone. come sit."zuko replied taking aang by the shoulder and leading him back to the bed.


	3. explamations

The two sat down together side-by-side. "all my fault." aang murmured dropping his staff on the floor. It clatterd noisly sounding like an explosen in the silent infirmiry. "It all started this morning. Today was the winter solstice." he explained in a flat voice staring at the floor. "on that day the line between the spirit world and our world is blurred." aang paused. "so," zuko prompted. "what happend?" Aang's face became stony. "coe, coe happend. Coe is a spirit he is also known as the face stealer." aang took a deep breath and contiuned. "He ecscaped from the spirit world. He wanted to get revenge on me for trying to kill him in a past life, so he tried to steal my face but he couldn't prouble because i'm the avatar so he needed to get revenge on me in some other way." his voice broke and he pulled his knee's up to his chest. Zuko put a hand on his shoulder. "you don't have to tell me if-" "He stole they're faces." those four little words sent zuko's head spinning. "what?" he asked sure he had heard aang wrong. "sokka's touphs momo's and-and gataria's." the silence felt as if it were closing in around them. "and it's all my fault!" aang yelled suddenly, making his tattao's glow brighter in his anger. Zuko's hand dropped " But where are they? there not dead?" "no, coe would have taken them with him to wherever he makes his lair." aang stood up and started pacing. "in the spirit world his lair was in a cave so he wouldlikly choose a cave here...what do you think?" he asked zuko suddenly. For a moment he was still to stunned to speak but he regained his voice quickly. "I don't know i've never been to the spirit world." aang nodded and started pacing again, and then he caught sight of his tattao's. He yelped causing zuko to jump. "why am i glowing! i'm not in the avatar state!" zuko felt confused at this. "i assumed you knew so i didn't ask." he said shrugging. Suddenly an erie wailing filled the infirmiry. Aang's eyes widened and he coverd his ears "it's coe! he's trying to-" he never finished his sentence. His eyes glowed for a moment a he fell onto the floor. As soon as it came the wailing went away leaving a wringing silence behind it.

"aang!" zuko yelled dropping beside aang on the floor. Aang groaned when zuko lifted him back onto the bed. his eyelids flickerd and he moaned, "i feel weird..." zuko looked worryed. "I'll go get the healer. I'll be right back don't move!"he yelped and ran out of the room. Zuko navigated himself to the workers louge were the healer was conversing with the cook. He explained what had happend as they rushed back to the infirmiry but as they approched zuko felt an awful sinking feeling. The doors were wide open and aang's bed was abandoned, even his staff was gone. "oh no," the healer said putting a hand to her mouth. Zuko felt a sudden rush of fear " i have to find him! i'll be back!" zuko said turning his heel and quickly rushed around the corner thinking; aang couldn't have gotten very far since he's weak. but he started running as another thought acurd to him, he had his glider he must be over in the market by now! A flash of brown and green dashed across his vision and before he knew it he was sitting on the ground next to suki. She had changed out of her uniform and into a light green dress. "oh i'm so sorry zuko! i was just coming to visit aang." she apologized, but not without a slight laugh in her voice. " totally fine, but i'm afraid you can't visit aang just now." standing up and dusting himself off. Suki cocked her head "why not?" "because he's gone." her curious expression turned into a look of shock. "what? why? how?-" " I don't have time for questions, i have to find him!" zuko yelled over his shoulder already running down the corridor. but suki caught up with him in less time. "don't worry, i can help." she said pulling out her fans from her sash.

**i just want to say thank you to all the people who have been reading my story and to touph12341 who made me one of her favorite authors. just to tell you i won't be posting anymore chapters in this story until i get five reviews so keep those reviews coming. thanks alot to all of you!**


	4. firenation market

**ok you must be wondering why i'm writing another chapter when you guys refuse to review.. so my awnser is i have extra time today! that is all! it's not like i love my story to much to stop writing...**

Aang leaned heavily on his staff as he hobbled down the crowded street in the fire nation market. He clutched at his side as pain shot up through his leg. "Aang! aang!" the calls were far off he could still make it! He limped faster wincing every time his feet touched the un-even street. Suddenly a strong hand grabbed him from behind and whipped him around. Aang gasped, a long thin knife was being held to his throut "turn out your pockets and give me all your money. The man had a black mask covering his face aang noticed. "turn out your pockets!" The man said again giving aang a little shake. Aang's hand closed protectivly around kataria's water tribe necklace that he had salvaged from the remains of the house. "I-I..." aang stutterd spoting zuko's face in the crowd that was starting to gather around him and the stranger. "fight! fight! fight!" the crowd was yelling. aang gulped taking a step back from the man. He laughed cruely. "don't even think about running." Aang's eyes found zuko were he was trying to push through the crowd. Zuko caught aang's eye and mouthed "bending" Aang's hopes plummeted. When coe had tried to steal he's face it had done somthing to aang's bending making him unable to bend. Aang flicked his wrist hopefully but nothing happend. terror coursed through aang as the man held the knife closer; millimeters away from his skin. "give me what i want," The man whisperd so close that aang could see green eyes glittering out of the eye holes in the mask, "or i will do it."

Regognintion hit aang hard. The was so familier that it seemed impossible. "Jet?" The mans eyes narrowed suspiciously "how do you now my name?" he asked. "I thought you were dead?" aang said disbelivingly. "what are you talking about?!" jet said backing away. "Jet it's me aang. don't you remember me?" Aang said now taking a step forward. Jet's eye's widend "I don't know any aang's." aang smaked his head in frustration. _why was it everytime they met jet he seemed to be controlled in some way?_ "jet, kataria's in trouble you have to listen to me!" the crowd let out a collective groan and thinned enabling zuko and suki to rush forward. Suki whipped out her razor like fans in a defensive positen "don't come a-n-y closer." she said in a low and deadly voice. "suki stop!" aang cried pushing past zuko and standing in front of jet. "i know him, he's my friend!" suki lowerd her fans at this but still looked suspicious. "A friend who just tried to rob you?" "er...yeah" aang said glancing back at jet who was stil looking confused but had sheathed his knife.

**and seriously this time i will write the next chapter tomorrow. please start reviewing! even if it's just questions about the story because i can do those to!**


	5. zuko's warning

**sorry about this I have school today and I'm working on my ultimate avatar the last airbender story!**

Zuko however was not convinced. He pushed past aang and looked jet straight in the eye. "if you try to hurt aang one more time-" he warned holding up a finger in front of jet's face, and a little burst of flame came out. Aang frowned and turned zuko towards him. "look zuko I'm fine he didn't hurt me." aang said trying to calm him down. "fine," zuko said scuffing his feet. "but I don't understand, if you now him why does he not know you?" "i don't know actully, but we need to get off the street's we are attracting too much attention." it was true people were starting to stop and watch them as well as whisper behind their hands. All four of them looked around until suki shouted "they're pointing with her finger to a broken down tea shop. "you come too." aang said kindly to jet as they started walking to the shop.

**please review guys! i'm begging you!**


	6. jet's reverie

Zuko however was not pushed past aang and looked jet straight in the eye. "if you try to hurt aang one more time-" he warned holding up a finger in front of his face, and a little burst of flame came out. Aang frowned and turned zuko towards him. "zuko look I'm fine, he didn't hurt me." he said trying to calm zuko down. "fine," he said scuffing his feet. "but i don't understand, if you know him why does he not know you?" "I don't know actually, but we need to get off the streets we are attracting too much attention." Aang replied. It was true people were stopping to watch them and whisper behind their hands. All three of them looked around until suki shouted: "there!" pointing with her finger to an old tea shop.

"You come to." aang said kindly to jet, as the group started walking towards the shop. a small tingled as the door swung open and they entered. The shutters were drawn so most of the room was ast in shadow. An old man came out from the back. He had long wispy white hair and cat-like yellow eyes that surveyed them. (they passed over aang twice) "Is there anything I can get for ya folks?" he asked as he waved them to a table. Aang looked around at everyone and shook his head. "thank you anyway sir, could you-?" the man smiled and cut aang off. "don't worry I know when I'm not wanted." he said disappearing into the back. "you don't mind if we asked you a few questions?" suki asked jet who was playing with the hilt of his knife. He shook his head, evidently still confused. "what do you remember last?"aang asked. Jet laughed what's wrong with you people? do you want my whole life story?!" the three exchanged looks. "yes." jet sighed, " I was born in an earth nation village. I had a totally normal childhood, i had started my warrior training at age ten..." he trailed off his eyes squinting as though trying to remember something. A full minute passed before zuko asked, "then what?" jet shook his head again "I don't remember anything until I went to ba sing sa to start over and lived peacefully for a while until the war ended, and the shop I was working at closed so...so I went into another profession." he said embarrassed fingering his knife even faster. "keep going." zuko urged. "well I was traveling and I came to the serpent's pass and I decided to go across. I went half way and spent a few night's until.. I guess it was yesterday... I went on my way again and there was a rock slide and I fell into the water. I know how to swim and i discovered an inlet at the base there was a giant cave right inside it. I was soaking wet and I needed shelter so i went inside i saw a giant centipede like thing and sudden pain and then i was floating in never-ending darkness,and i woke up in an inn not far from here and-and you know what happens next." he finished lamely a minute passed before he asked "why do you want to know this stuff?" he asked suspiciously. "er, we have to investigate disappearances." suki invented.

**please review! just type your opinion and hit the pretty little button below! **


	7. no bending (yet)

Aang was staring at the table deep in thought. "you can go now jet." he said rather suddenly. Jet pushed back his chair and surveyed them all. "well good luck to you then." he said and walked out the door. Zuko opened his mouth to speak the second jet left. He started telling suki everything aang had told him because aang couldn't bear to do it again.

"ok so we know one thing he's at serpent's pass but what does that accomplish?" zuko asked once he had finished. Aang looked up a gleam in his eye. "we know were kataria and his other prisoners are." he said firmly. He stood up from his chair and grabbed his glider that had been leaning up against the table. Then the hope died from his eyes and he sat down again. "what? did we forget something?" " i just can't use my glider to get there." both zuko and suki looked confused. "why? did something happen to it?" Aang shook his head. "no, it's more of the other way around. when koh tried to steal my face it did something to me...it was excruciating. It felt like part of my identity was being ripped away from me. but kataria must be feeling it ten times worse..." his voice died and he buried his face in his hands. Zuko patted him on the back. "don't worry aang, we'll get them back." aang looked up and glared at zuko an expression he had rarely seen on the young avatar. "there's no we in it. Your not coming, you could get your face stolen! I'm not going to let you take a risk like that." suki looked up; her eyes full of hard determanation. "they're are friends too aang were coming." Aang opened is mouth to protest but zuko cut across him. "just drop it aang, were coming. you might need help anyway since you don't have your bending." aang bowed his head in deafeat realizing he was right. "we must be going then, i will return to the palace and fly appa to right out side the city will you meet me there?" aang asked standing up once again. "we'll be there." zuko promised.

**will you guys please review! the only one i've gotten is from my sister.**


	8. worries

Zuko and suki trekked down the volcano in silence until suki stumbled and zuko grabbed her arm before she fell into an unseen crevice. "t-thanks." suki said recovering from her almost fall. "don't mention it" zuko muttered hands deep in his pockets. They continued walking and she looked at him concerned. "there's something bothering you." zuko paled and muttered something incomprehensible. "I'm sorry?"suki asked politely. zuko stared at the ground and muttered a little louder, "my mother." "oh! what about her?" a moment passed before he awnserd: "i know were she is now." suki's face lit up. "that's great! where?" zuko sighed. "really near serpents pass." suki's smile vanished. "oh."she said again gazing at him. "you don't need to worry, if she's in trouble aang will save her." she said confidently. He nodded smiling "thank you." he said greatfully.

**this is a short one, sorry. r-e-v-i-e-w**


	9. the begining

Suddenly they're conversation was interrupted by the roar of a giant sky bison. It landed beside them, making a little dust cloud come up from its feet. Aang was astride the bison, sitting on its head. His knuckles were white on the reins, and his face was grim. He made no expression as zuko and suki walked over to the spot he had landed. Zuko cupped his hands to help suki up but it deemed quite unnecessary, for she climbed up nimbly herself. Zuko shrugged and scrambled up one of the bisons legs and plopped into the saddle beside suki. Aang flicked the reins and said: "yip,yip appa." Appa grunted and slapped his tale on the crooked earth and shot into the sky quickly leaving the bustling fire nation capital behind.

**i am so sorry these last one's have been short i really am, but it's either i don't have enough time or my mom makes me leavemy notebook behind when we go to our grandma's. As always PLEASE REVIEW.**


	10. kill a spirit

The silence was everywhelming. No spoke as the bison flew over the edges of fire nation territorry and out into open water. The sun sett below the ocean it's last rays shimmering over the water. Suki curled up in the back of the saddle shivering slightly. Zuko saw this and polietly handed her his cloak. Once suki had fallen asleep zuko went to sit beside aang; who was sitting stiffly staring ahead at the horizon. "so," zuko said an attempt at converstation. "what are you going to do when we get there?" "I've been thinking alot about that actully." he said his voice craked from lack of use. "There are only two things i can do. Deafeat him and in his moment of weakness demand he return they're faces. or-or-" a shudder ran through him, "kill a spirit." he finished dramaticlly. Zuko felt a pang of sympathy for the young avatar beside him. "I'm sure what ever comes to you at the time will be for the best." Aang dipped his head in aknowledgement. after that zuko had gone back in the saddle to sleep and had woken up a few hours later to trade places with aang.


	11. the dream

Aang stumbled back into the saddle tiredness clouding his vision as well as the night sky around him. He fell asleep instantly. His dreams drifting over darkness, a non-existing being. Suddenly he was there, standing on a platform surrounded by nothingness. Screams and cries of agony echoed around the seemingly endless cavern. He called out but his voice was gone. Kataria's face appeared swimming in the darkness. "you didn't save us." she accused. His voice returned he yelled: "no, please! i tried!" but she turned her head away shamefully, disappering into the darkness. "Kataria!" Aang yelled reaching out his hand, but she did not return. The darkness started closing in ringing with a cold low laugh. The ground started to crumble beneath aang. He tried to run but he couldn't: his feet wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tried. and he fianlly fell into the darkness.


	12. late morning

Aang sat bolt upright for the second time in two days, cold sweat running down his face. He shivered suddenly and pulled his coat closer around him. It was late morning and they were flying over the rocky lands of the earth nation. Aang pulled himself into a ball and noticed suki was watching him. "Are you ok?" she asked tentatively. Aang thought about saying: "no." for a moment but rebuked himself a heart-beat later. He wasn't a little kid he didn't need to be scard of nightmares. "I'm fine." Aang said coldly slightly suprised at himself. "ok.." suki said slowly turning to watch the clouds but watching him out of the corner of her eye. Aang waited a little bit before switching places with zuko still recovering from the shock of his dream. Zuko thanked him heartily when he did black circles lining his eyes.


	13. aang and appa

**sorry been a long time coming but here's the next chapter hope you enjoy it! :)**

Aang sat crossed legged on appa's head, trying to channel all of his despair and loneliness into his old friend. Appa grunted affectonaily, Aang returned the gestgure in turn by patting the giant bison on the head. Suddenly aang got an idea. He grabbed appa's horn and swung down so that he could look the bison in the eye. The magestic maple brown eye blinked at aang and he blinked right back.

"Appa," aang said adressing the bison's eye. "The monks once told me that you- (well all of you) had a very speacial power: The power of feelings. I didn't understand at the time but i think i do now, you can feel emotions, Well now i have a question for you. Do you think i failed katara? I couldn't save her the first time and it's my fault they're gone." The eye surveyed the upside-down boy for a moment and the pupil diluated. A small voice in the back of aang's head whisperd: "everyone derserves a second chance." Aang failed to prevent a small smile and he dipped his head in respect. "Thank you appa that means alot." he said thickly, his face turning red from hanging upside-down. He swung back up on appa's horn so he was in a sitting positen. Feeling dazed for a moment where they were, until a giant shadow loomed over them and suki screamed from the saddle: "Aang! We're going to fly into it!"

**i think this is a cute chapter i really think it reprosents the strong bond between boy-bison. so for now **

**flameo!**

**n.a. brun**


	14. The cave

Aang gasped as his gaze focused on the giant wall that was the peak of serpent's pass. He yanked on the reins as hard as he could in the nick of time. Appa's tail scrapped against the cliff making several rocks fall into the water. Aang watched their journey imaging them to be his missing friends falling to they're doom. He shuddered making the terrifying vision go away. Then his eyes fell on it taking his breath away.

_The cave._

it was in the side of the cliff just like jet had said. Aang stared at the cave, it was if the darkness was calling him; begging for rescue. Aang just stared at it; transfixed. Until zuko (who appered to have woken up from suki's scream) put a comforting hand on his shoulder, his eyes also on the cave. "aang?" He asked tentatively. Aang shook his himself and turned to zuko shaking his hand of his shoulder. "y-e-s?" He said clearly not wanting to talk about what just happend. "nothing." zuko said his eyes down cast as he sank back into the saddle.

Aang crossed the river in little circled appa three time's before landing him on the bank of the oppisite shore. He said nothing as the three of them unpacked the supplies that aang had stached in the back of the saddle before leaving the fire-nation palace. Aang sett up his tent on a little ledge; over looking the pass and the little black dot that he knew was the cave. He stayed in his tent for hours gazing at the little dot. He turned down lunch and dinner saying he would not eat until he saved katara. Another hour passedand aang climbed up the resting appa disappering into the saddle, and re-emerging a minute later with his glidder in hand. He saw zuko and suki watch him and he climed back down. "were are you going?" zuko asked lazily lounging against a rock.


	15. laugther

Aang plopped down beside him (a little less gracefully than usual) a defeated air about him. "I was going to check out that cave a little closer... I don't like just sitting around doing nothing. It feels wrong, like I failed them." He hesitated then added. "but a good friend told me that everyone deserve's a second chance." Suki grinned. "this friend of yours, they must be very wise." she observed. For a moment aang got the feeling that suki had not stopped watching after he had traded places with zuko.

"Aang, were not doing nothing! we're planning it out." zuko said, then added sheepishly. "slowly." Aang stood. "Well i can't wait around for you two finish planning. I'm going to check out that cave." he said a little to harshly than he ment to. He opened his glider. Unlike when he had his bending, he took a running start and jumped off the little over-hang and soared into the sky. He soared over the sparkling water and grinned for the first time in days. He felt like some of the weight that had been holding him down for days was gone. Aang laughed as he did a spiral up into the air, and then rememberd his task. He flew higher so he could survey the bass of the giant pass. The cave had an inlet in front of it large enough to land appa on. Armed with this crucial news he flew back to the others. Just before he reached them he flew high up into the air and closed his staff, so he landed with a "thud" in front of them. "anything?" zuko asked. "yes there is a inlet at the base of the cave, that we could land appa on." Aang said gloolily sinking back into his mood. "well we talked while you were gone and decided-" suki started to say but was silenced by zuko; who interjected, "we're going first thing in the morning." he finished smiling. Suki punched him playfully in the arm at this. "ow." he whined rubbing the sore spot. This exchange made aang crack a smile.


	16. spirit world?

Suddenly an idea acured to Aang. "Hey, maybe I can try to get into the spirit world and see if i can restore my bending there." zuko and suki both shrugged simultaneously. "You'd better go now." zuko said pointing to the setting sun. "not that i know anything about meditating..." Aang nodded and walked back to his ledge. He sat cross-legged and folded his hands in the lptus style. He let his gaze wander over the horizon. The sun was making the clouds around it, turn shades of pink, purple, lavender, and red. The exact same red as roku's dragon fang... Aang took one last look at the beautyfull sunset and closed his eyes.

**sorry guys! your going to have to wait until i get back from church for me to type the next chapter! hope you like it. please review any questions! :)**

**n.a. brun**


	17. Spirit world jorney

When aang opened his eyes, he was laying on the forest floor. It seemed to be just a regular forest, but aang knew better. He was in the spirit world.

Aang expected to hear the unfamilier creature sounds, but the tree's were erieliy quiet. Aang trudged through the thick forest, occainsolly coming across a mud puddle or clumps of sticks. He came across no spirits at all. Aang started to worry that somthing was wrong when the tree's ended upruptly and aang fell onto his hands. The ground beneath them was blackend and cold. He braced himself for the worst and looked up. But nothing could have prepared him for this. No life grew. As far as the eye could see was the same black earth. Except there was no burned stumps so it had not been fire that had been destroyed this. Aang got to his feet gazing at the ravaged lanscape.


	18. Deeper in

Suddenly a wave of many-colored; frothing plasma apeard over the horizon. It grew closer and closer until it was almost on top of him. Aang (sensing this was not a friendly force) spun around sprinted back into the forest. It swallowed up the tree's he had passed seconds before, ever gaining on him.

The tree's became thicker and aang dodged nimbly around them. For a second time the tree's laid up and aang stumbled into a clearing. He braced himself for the substance to wash over him, but it never came. The wave had just vanished. Aang let out a breath of relief and turned back to his surroundings. The clearing as aang had expected it to be was completely empty. The ground was sandy and parched. In other words: Lifeless. But surely not as lifeless as the (used to be) forest behind him. Aang knelt down slowly letting some of the sand slip through his glowing blue hand. He noticed that the ground snaked forward in front of him creating a trail. A split second later aang decided to follow it, having no idea where to begin his search.

As he walked he thought about his previous excursion into the spirit world...

**and there you go! hope you like it! next chapter might be out later today. If not, tomorrow. as always: PLEASE REVIEW! i love hearing your in-put. :)**

**n.a. brun**


	19. The path goes on

Aang had seen koh that time as well, conveintly un-aware of how dangerous koh really was. Koh had taunted aang at the time, and he had sumbmited (his thoughts had only been on finding twi and la) un-knowingly letting koh explore his fears.

_like losing katara..._

The path took a sharp turn and aang totally lost his sense of direction. He shook his head and chuckled softly. Of all the weird places he had been (such as the back of a turtle the size of a small island) the spirit world had to be the weridest. After a while aang started to wonder what had happend to hai bi and all the other spirits that usaully roamed these forest. The forest still seemed deserted but aang could hear strange caws and yelps resounding through the tree's.


	20. The lair

**Yeah! twentieth chapter! big mile-stone!**

The leaves and sticks crunched under aang's feet as he wound his way down the path in a unfamiliar part of the spirit world. The tree's were growing further and further apart, and the ground was turning into a slushy muddy slush. But aang trudged through it completely clueless of where he was going. The canopy was thick and dense above him, even if the tree's weren't.

Aang started to think about going back, when the path took a tun and found himself standing in front of a giant tree with a opening in it's roots, this was an all to familier tree. this was koh's lair.

**sorry it's** **really short. I'll write the next chapter later. ohhh suspense! :)**

**sorry i couldn't resist. :)**

**N.a. brun**


	21. courage

Aang shuddered. He knew the spirit world had brought him there for a reason, but he was afraid of what he would find inside. Aang spun on his heel to go back, But his guide was gone. The trail had disappeared.

He shook himself._ There was nothing to be afraid of _aang thought. _It's just an empty cave anyway. _So he slowly inched down the slop that led to the base of the tree. The ground started shifting under-neath his feet, until it gave way and aang fell flat on his face right in front of the taunting darkness. "er...yeah." aang mutterd awkardly standing back up. He instinctively flicked his wrist to create a small light to see by, but nothing happend and he sighed. Seized with a sudden moment of courage he walked straight into the cave.


	22. risks and mistakes

**sorry i couldn't post yesterday. I was sick with something, well your prouble like: "we don't care, get to the story!" so here you go...**

Aang blinked sevral times to get accostomd to the lack of light. The cave was wet and damp. Little had changed since aang had last been there. The cave sloped downard; twisting and turning. After a while aang found himself going farther in then when he had been talking with koh.

Soon after that he came to a crossroads. One tunnel led up and leveled out, and one other spiraled downwards.

Aang shifted his weight from foot to foot for a moment before jogging down the deeper heading one. No light shone in this passage, so aang gently held his hand against the wall to guide himself. It literally was pitch black, aang had never experiecned such darkness.

The ground became steep and slippery so aang leaned heavily on the wall to keep himself from slipping. The wall became increasingly ruffer, and it suddenly gave way to thick course goo. Aang instantly recoiled his entire fore arm drenched in the stuff. But of course that was a mistake.

**sorry for the suspensfull ending it just kind of worked out that way. I have to confess somthing, so this wont be like one of those story's where the writer all blocked up for a long time and dosn't update and the readers give up on the story. Anyway i have cayght up to my current writing so it might be a while before i update. BUT NEVER FEAR! FOR THE WEEKEND IS ALMOST HERE! :) i can write for the entire weekend so it might be out by that time but keep checking in for there is always a chance i can update early. :)**

**for now, bye**

**N.a. brun**


	23. tunnel to a slide

His legs flew out from under him and he started slipping and sliding down the damp tunnel. He yelled in pain as his arm cut against a sharp rock.

His hands scrabbled uselessly at the passing rocks as he flew by. The tunnel curved and twisted like a slide. Aang gripped his cut with his other hand as hard as he could bounced and jostled along. The cave seemed never ending, but as the saying says: what all must go up must have an end. The walls melted away,and the tunnel ended in a shoot. Aang with the momentum he had gained skid a few paces before stopping, and he stood up. His hand still holding his wrist in a death grip he looked around.


	24. Why not?

He was in a expansive cavern; lighted by millions of glowing rocks, that jutting out of the floor and walls.

It was a spectacular sight and aang looked around in awe for a moment before a slivery light caught his eye. It was dancing across the walls emoiting from a small pool in a corner. Aang slowly edged towards it; afraid of what it could be. Aang got on his knee's and ran his fingers threw the water. It was cool and warm and there was a faint glow coming from the center. Aang suddenly had a thought to dip his injured arm into it, He shrugged and thought:

_why_ _not?_


	25. trance

The water lapped at his arm as he dipped it in. Half of his mind wondered if this was a trick of koh's and the other half blissfully blank.

At first the water burned. Then a slight tickling sensation rippled up his arm. It edged down his torso and spread down his legs, eventually over-coming his entire body; replacing a feeling of curiosity with an un-usual trance like state.

Un-aware to aang; the water started shifting and rippling like a breeze was blowing across it. It frothed for a moment and then a column of water shot out of the center of the pool, en-casing itself around aang. He only had a split second for a shocked look to cross his face before he was sucked into the pool.

Aang struggled and fought but the water kept a strong hold on him; dragging him downwards. He watched in despier as the top of the pool grew smaller and smaller. His lungs burned as he thrashed around.

Slowly aang's struggle's became weaker and his eyes closed. His last thought was of katara, as he lost conciousness.


	26. Chapter 26

STORY IS UP FOR ADOPTION


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